SAN Miguel Beer and Magnolia try to close the deal against their opponents today in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Still on a high after winning their openers in the best-of-three pairings, the Beermen and Hotshots know they can’t afford to take it easy against the NorthPort Batang Pier and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
“Sinasabi na the most important game of any series is the close-out game. So iyung game sa Thursday would be the most important for us,” Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said after his third-seeded team’s 81-70 win over sixth-ranked Rain or Shine last Sunday.
“We will treat it as a possession-by-possession game,” added Victolero. “The result will come in the end. Basta ginawa lang namin ‘yung mga bagay na dapat naming gawin.”
Hotshots ace center Ian Sangalang put it more plainly. “Kailangan i-outwork, i-outhustle namin kalaban,” he said. “Kapag hindi namin trinabaho ng husto hindi namin makukuha.”
SMB coach Leo Austria also knows NorthPort will not just lay down and hand the game over to them on a silver platter.
“May heightened sense of urgency kalaban,” said Austria. “Gagawa’t gagawa ng paraan iyon.”
The Batang Pier have shown their own resolve and resiliency in the tournament, overcoming a 1-3 start to finish the eliminations with a 6-5 slate, take fifth and set up the duel with the fourth-placed Beermen.
In the opener, NorthPort even engaged SMB through 10 lead changes and eight deadlocks before Robert Bolick’s three-pointer from way, way out put the Batang Pier on the threshold with an 87-86 lead, only five seconds to go.
Sadly for coach Pido Jarencio and his charges, Alex Cabagnot came up with a two-dribble, pull-up elbow jumper in the Beermen’s last thrust for the win.
“Very dangerous talaga itong NorthPort. Sinuwerte lang talaga kami that game,” said Austria.
